This invention relates to a fire prevention system, and particularly, to an electronic circuit which automatically shuts down electrical power and fuel supplies to equipment either during periods of non-use to lessen the risk of development of an accidental fire, or in response to the detection of a fire.
Accidental fires often cause significant monetary loss and severe personal injury and death. Fires sometimes originate in food preparation areas of hotels, restaurants, bakeries, ships, trains, etc. where gas and/or electrically powered equipment such as ovens and stoves are used. Malfunctions or improper use of such equipment can lead to a fire which would spread quickly if combustible fuel supply lines rupture or leak in the vicinity of the fire. Most municipalities currently require such food preparation areas to have a fire alarm system. The fire alarm systems typically used have detectors which sense heat or smoke once a fire has started to activate an alarm. Some existing fire alarm systems, when actuated, further communicate to the fire department, activate extinguishing systems, and shut down fuel supplies to equipment. Although such devices operate satisfactorily in detecting the presence of a fire, thereby reducing loss, they do not function in any way to reduce the risk of an accidental fire occurring.
Fires which originate from equipment often start during times of the day when the equipment is unattended. The present invention is related to a fire prevention system which reduces the risk that an accidental fire will occur by automatically shutting off electrical power and fuel supplies to equipment such as those used in food preparation during periods of scheduled non-use. The chances of an accidental fire being started are reduced when such power and fuel supplies are interrupted. The fire prevention system in accordance with this invention is efficiently incorporated into a fire alarm system which operates in a conventional manner.